The Measure of a Man
by Tsukino Kage Spectre
Summary: K' and Kula WAFF romance


The Measure of a Man  
A "King of Fighters 2K1" songfic by Kage Tsukino Spectre  
Based on an MP3 I found while cruising KazaA, it said that the artist was 4Him and the title, "The Measure of a Man" and KOF2K1 by SNK.  
  
***  
  
(Instrumental)  
(The screen is dark, then a flash of orange flames goes by and we see K' Dash with his back to the camera on the left half of the screen, all that can be seen is the back of his head and leather jacket.)  
  
In this world they analyze and size you up and throw you on the scales  
(A hologram of a computer image wire frame appears to the right of him as he turns around, it rotates around the vertical axis...)  
Thinking they can find you through, the rigorous details  
(... while points with connecting lines continuously appear, all leading to captions with scientific jargon.)  
They can do their best to reach you and they'll place you on the charts  
(K' holds up a hand, takes of the glove, makes a fist...)  
And then back it up with scientific smarts  
(... orange flames appear in his hand...)  
But there's more to what you're worth, than their human eyes can see  
(... and his whole body burst into flames, but K' is unharmed as the camera comes for a close up, the screen fading to an orange haze.)  
  
Oh I say the measure of a man  
(The flames subside and we see K' on a cliff, looking over a deep canyon with snow from a slightly elevated view...)  
Is not how tall you stand  
(... the camera swings around him 360 as it closes up...)  
How wealthy, or intelligent you are  
(... Maxima comes behind him and he turns around...)  
Cause I found out the measure of a man  
(The camera pans to show Whip, Diana and Kula...)  
God knows and understands  
(A spotlight from the heavens shines down on them as they look up and the background shimmers...)  
For he looks inside to the bottom of your heart  
(... it fades to a holodeck grid...)  
And what's in the heart defines,   
(... and K' smiles upward, a sad smile, but genuine, and the others slowly join in.)  
(background: what's in the heart, what's in the heart)  
(He beckons the others and they exit...)  
The measure of a man  
(... then he turns and flashes another smile at the camera as it hazes out and fades.)  
  
Well you can renounce your worth and search for who you are and where you stand  
(K's face is now shown in left profile on the left end of the screen, hologram-like in it's transparency. Krizalid is on the right side, with a neutral expression on his face rather than the usual cruel sneer...)  
That God made you in his image, when he formed you in his hands  
(... and both fade to the background and disappear as Kula appears, walking down the street.)  
And he looks at you with mercy and he sees you through his love  
(Kula Diamond, now in some more normal teenager clothes for girls, like what see wore at the end of KOF2K1, is seen with an ice cream cone in her hands.)  
Cause the trial of man will always be in love  
(K' comes in from an alley off-camera and gets in front of her...)  
For there's more to what you're worth, than you could ever comprehend  
(... she smiles and takes his hand as they walk past the camera and the view pans to behind the couple as they fade hologram like.)  
  
Oh I say the measure of a man  
(Zero comes into focus on the blackened screen at the center and moves to the upper left corner...)  
Is not how tall you stand  
(... Krizalid now comes to focus in the middle of the screen and moves to the upper right corner...)  
How wealthy, or intelligent you are  
(... Igniz now comes to focus in the center.)  
Cause I found out the measure of a man  
(They fade out and K' appears, walking hand in hand with Kula, camera in front...)  
God knows and understands  
(... they look up to see a flock of white doves fly overhead...)  
For he looks inside to the bottom of your heart  
(... and a rainbow inexplicable appears after the last is gone.)  
And what's in the heart defines,   
(Then Kula whispers something to K'...)  
(background: what's in the heart, what's in the heart)  
(... he blushes and smiles...)  
The measure of a man  
(...and suddenly she kisses him on the cheek as his blush deepens, and they fade out once more.)  
  
You can spend your life pursuing physical perfection  
(Kyo Kusanagi comes on screen, in one of his 'handsome' poses...)  
But there is so much more, more than ever meets the eye  
(... fading out as Iori fades in, purple flame in hand...)  
For God looks good on service  
(... he fades out as well, and Kula appears, as she talks to K' in the same pose from KOF2000...)  
And he defines your worth by what is on the inside  
(... closing up on K' as Kula leaves the screen and he sits up, and the screen whites out.)  
  
I say the measure of a man  
(Fading in back to K' and Kula on the street...)  
Is not how tall you stand  
(... K' looks at her, sees the innocence in her eyes, and turns away saying some words...)  
How wealthy, or intelligent you are  
(... she spins him around and says something back...)  
Cause I found out the measure of a man  
(... and he says something back with downcast eyes...)  
God knows and understands  
(... then he breaks from her grip and runs off into the sunset as she shouts for him to come back, unknown to both that in the distance where Diana, Maxima, and Whip...)  
For he looks inside to the bottom of your heart  
(... he fades into the distance and the camera pans back to Kula, her head bowed, and she murmurs some words...)  
And what's in the heart defines,   
(... the picture suddenly becomes a view in closeup of the concrete, as first one, then another tear falls.)  
(background: Oh I say the measure of, the measure of a man)  
(The screen then shifts just as suddenly to K', slowing down and slumping into an alley wall as the camera closes up...)  
Is not how tall you stand  
(... when a pair of boots suddenly appear in front and K' looks up...)  
How wealthy, or intelligent you are  
(... and sees Whip and Maxima, just as Whip slaps him with the flat of her right hand and screams in his face.)  
Oh I found out the measure of a man (background: the measure of a man)  
(... she berates him some more as Maxima looks on, he retorts quickly, but is cut off by both screaming at him.)  
God knows and understands  
(After which, he stands up, and with a smile, runs back from where he came...)  
For he looks inside to the bottom of your heart  
(Scene shifts to a crying Kula in Diana's arms, the latter saying soothing words...)  
And what's in the heart defines,   
(K' runs back in and Diana glares at him but turns back to Kula and sighs...)  
(background: what's in the heart, what's in the heart)  
(... Kula turns, and K' says a few things to her...)  
once in the heart they find,   
(... she slowly smiles wide, a look of pure joy...)  
(background: once in the heart, once in the heart)  
(... and she embraces him, whispering his name, as Diana quietly slips to the background...)  
What's in the heart defines,   
(... slowly, they turn to each other, tilting their heads...)  
The measure of a man  
(... and they kiss, long and tender, just as Whip and Maxima run up to them.)  
  
I know, I know, I know, yeah  
(There is a round of applause as the couple turns to the left and sees the ENTIRE KOF cast, minus the dead characters looking at them with smiles and clapping their hands. They blush deeply, then turn back to each other, say I love you, and kiss again as the camera fades.)  
  
***  
  
Author's notes:  
  
Doesn't that just warm your heart?  
I know, I know, I should be working on 'Tables Turned' but the idea for this just wouldn't leave me after I heard the song the first time, and I just had to write it as the former stalled on me. Rest assured though, what I start, I always finish, by hook or by crook, even if it takes me years.  
After I played KOF97, I couldn't find another game to compare to the enjoyment and challenge. KOF98, 99 and 2000 were poor sequels, and with the exception of Capcom vs SNK 1 and 2, there was nothing good to play.  
Then KOF2K1 showed up, and wow! This is definitely the best 2D fighter I've played yet.   
Igniz is so hard to beat, it provides a real challenge. Heidern is better than ever, by a factor of ten, and is now one of my favorite characters to play, but they make Iori and Kyo a lot weaker than in the other games. Kyo lost his running elbow charge move, and the hopping uppercut just isn't as powerful. His Orochinagi is easier to avoid and block, and the other DM just isn't worth mentioning. Iori's SDM is pretty hard to pull off, since it's a follow up move to the maiden masher DM, with a 13 button combination. I've only managed it twice, but if you can pull it off perfectly, then it's a beautiful sight to behold, and the round is definitely yours.  
K' and Kula were more deeply explored in the game, and I must say, they make the cutest couple in KOF, even more so than Iori and Leona (I can almost hear Redpriest17 screaming 'sacrilege' at that statement ^_^'). The interpretation here is my own, and I see Kula as quite niave and innocent, a girl thrust to a world of grit and grime that longs to have a sense of normality. K' is more of a low esteemed, brooding figure. Yet, despite his cynicism, even though he thinks very lowly of himself, there's something about him that is much like Kula. He too, is a shattered innocent, longing to be seen as human, not only by others, but most of all by himself.  
Anyway, for those who want to hear what the characters were supposed to have said in some of the above sequences, check the omake below.  
  
***  
  
Omake  
  
(From the scene of K' and Kula on the street)  
Kula: (whispers) I love you.  
K': I can't... please don't make me...  
Kula: Why, why can't we be together?  
K': Because... I'm not worth it... (breaks away)  
Kula: Come back K'! It doesn't matter, not to me...  
Kula: (low whisper) I love you...  
(The alley)  
Whip: You idiot! Why did you do that? Don't you care at all about her?  
K': I do! Hell, I love her! That's why I can't burden her with my problems, I'm not worthy of her. I did too many wrong things. I'm nothing!  
Maxima: Do you think she cares about that at all?  
Whip: She loves you too dummy! And you hurt her more by being stubborn.  
Maxima: It doesn't matter where you're both from K', what matters is that you both care for each other, and it's tearing you both apart to be like this.  
K': Maybe, you're right... (smiles and runs off)  
(Back to Kula and Diana)  
Diana: (saying soothing words to Kula)  
K': Kula... (she turns) I... I'm such a coward... I'm sorry. I love you too.  
Kula: K'...  
(the kiss)  
K' and Kula: (at the same time) I love you. 


End file.
